Chapter 01 - Introduction to Psychology

Section 1 - Psychologists at Work

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

What is the science of psychology?

What are the major specialties in the field of psychology?

Where do psychologists work?

VOCABULARY

psychology - The scientific study of behavior and mental processes.

THE SUBFIELDS OF PSYCHOLOGY: PSYCHOLOGY'S FAMILY TREE

The subfields of psychology can be likened to an extended family, with assorted nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and cousins who, although they may not interact on a day-to-day basis, are related to one another, because they share a common goal: understanding behavior.

What Are The Biological Foundations Of Behavior?

-Examining how our bodies influence our behavior - Behavioral Neuroscience

How Do People Sense, Perceive, Learn, And Think About The World?

-Study of processes (sensing, perceiving, learning, and thinking about the world) - Experimental Psychology

-Focus on higher mental processes (thinking, reasoning, memory, problem solving, judging, decision making, and language) - Cognitive Psychology

What Are The Sources Of Change And Stability In Behavior Across The Life Span?

-How people grow and change - Developmental Psychology

-Consistency in people's behavior over time (traits that differentiate one person from another) - Personality Psychology

How Do Psychological Factors Affect Physical And Mental Health?

-Study, diagnosis, and treatment of psychological disorders - Clinical Psychology

-Educational, social, and career adjustment problems - Counseling Psychology

-Relationship between psychological factors and physical ailments and disease (depression, stress, fears) - Health Psychology

How Do Our Social Networks Affect Behavior?

-How people's thoughts, feelings, and actions are affected by others (human aggression, liking and loving, persuasion, conformity) - Social Psychology

Expanding Psychology's Frontiers

Three newer members of the field's family tree have sparked particular excitement, and debate, within psychology.

Evolutionary Psychology. Considers how behavior is influenced by our genetic inheritance from our ancestors.

Behavioral Genetics. Focus on the biological mechanisms, such as genes and chromosomes, that enable inherited behavior to unfold.

Clinical Neuropsychology. Focus on the origin of psychological disorders in biological factors.

WORKING AT PSYCHOLOGY

Psychologists: A Portrait

The Education Of A Psychologist

Careers For Psychology Majors

Section 2 - A Science Evolves: The Past, the Present, and the Future

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

~What are the origins of psychology?

~What are the major approaches in contemporary psychology?

VOCABULARY

structuralism - Wundt's approach, which focuses on uncovering the fundamental mental components of consciousness, thinking, and other kinds of mental states and activities.

introspection - A procedure used to study the structure of the mind in which subjects are asked to describe in detail what they are experiencing when they are exposed to a stimulus

functionalism - An early approach that concentrated on what the mind does - the functions of mental activity - and the role of behavior in allowing people to adapt to their environments

gestalt psychology - An approach to psychology that focuses on the organization of perception and thinking in a "whole" sense rather than on the individual elements of perception

neuroscience perspective - The approach that views behavior from the perspective of the brain, the nervous system, and other biological functions

psychodynamic perspective - The approach based on the view that behavior is motivated by unconscious inner forces over which the individual has little control

behavioral perspective - The approach that suggests that observable, measurable behavior should be the focus of study

cognitive perspective - The approach that focuses on how people think, understand, and know about the world

humanistic perspective - The approach that suggests that all individuals naturally strive to grow, develop, and be in control of their lives and behavior

THE ROOTS OF PSYCHOLOGY

Women In Psychology: Founding Mothers

TODAY'S PERSPECTIVES

The Neuroscience Perspective: Blood, Sweat, And Fears

The Psychodynamic Perspective: Understanding The Inner Person

The Behavioral Perspective: Observing The Outer Person

The Cognitive Perspective: Identifying The Roots Of Understanding

The Humanistic Perspective: The Unique Qualities Of The Human Species

Section 3 - Psychology's Key Issues and Controversies

MAIN IDEA QUESTIONS

~What are psychology's key issues and controversies?

~What is the future of psychology likely to hold?

VOCABULARY

free will - The idea that behavior is caused primarily by choices that are made freely by the individual

determinism - The idea that people's behavior is produced primarily by factors outside of their willful control

PSYCHOLOGY'S FUTURE